Prairie View A&M led all public Division I HBCU athletic programs in revenue during the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to an annual financial report produced by USA Today on Thursday.
The Panthers reported operating revenue totaling $17,851,213, with Alabama State reporting $14,374,967 in revenue to place second among HBCUs on the list.
Norfolk State, the MEAC’s top revenue producer for the fiscal year, placed third on the list with $13,656,202, followed by North Carolina Central who reported $13,561,933.
USA Today’s annual report details data collected from 230 NCAA Division I programs. The revenue categories include ticket sales, contributions, rights/licensing, student fees and school funds.
The report also highlights total school expenses, which include monies spent on coaching/staff, scholarships and facilities/overhead.
While PVAMU ranked No. 1 among HBCUs, it ranked No. 150 overall among all Division I institutions.
Texas ranked No. 1 on the list with $214,830,647 in reported revenue.
Below is the complete HBCU revenue list.
Division I HBCU revenue rankings
| Rank | School | Conference | Revenue | Total Expenses |
| 1 | Prairie View A&M | SWAC | $17,851,213 | $17,852,014 |
| 2 | Alabama State | SWAC | $14,374,967 | $14,374,967 |
| 3 | Norfolk State | MEAC | $13,656,202 | $13,656,202 |
| 4 | North Carolina Central | MEAC | $13,561,933 | $13,029,240 |
| 5 | Southern | SWAC | $13,360,450 | $13,538,874 |
| 6 | North Carolina A&T | MEAC | $13,075,494 | $13,047,786 |
| 7 | Delaware State | MEAC | $12,674,589 | $13,663,806 |
| 8 | Tennessee State | OVC | $12,481,256 | $12,481,256 |
| 9 | Morgan State | MEAC | $11,023,152 | $12,577,055 |
| 10 | Texas Southern | SWAC | $10,899,527 | $10,899,527 |
| 11 | Florida A&M | MEAC | $10,741,985 | $10,741,985 |
| 12 | Jackson State | SWAC | $9,466,619 | $10,236,424 |
| 13 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | SWAC | $7,904,735 | $7,770,869 |
| 14 | Grambling State | SWAC | $7,853,609 | $10,019,059 |
| 15 | South Carolina State | MEAC | $7,232,850 | $8,195,579 |
| 16 | Alcorn State | SWAC | $6,321,380 | $6,280,710 |
| 17 | Maryland-Eastern Shore | MEAC | $5,916,647 | $5,916,647 |
| 18 | Savannah State | MEAC | $4,508,343 | $6,150,265 |
| 19 | Mississippi Valley State | SWAC | $4,332,784 | $4,335,851 |
| 20 | Coppin State | MEAC | $3,452,610 | $4,360,469 |
| 21 | Alabama A&M | SWAC | $3,293,950 | $9,466,448 |
I get the importance of generating revenue. It’s a great cheerleading point for the schools. However, it is important for the reader to have been given upfront the profit/loss that each school garnered. If you’re just breaking even or losing, you must make some changes, perhaps difficult ones, for the viability of your programs.
Schools 17-21 should seriously consider dropping down to D2. I know SSU is about to make that move. Maybe Maynor can help AAMU get out of the red.